


Unexpected Results

by vmprsm



Series: LC Destin [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, direct continuation of systems alert, look hux can have friends if he wants, slow building friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 05:52:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8566447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vmprsm/pseuds/vmprsm





	

“Tell me what happened yesterday.”

 

Lieutenant Commander Destin couldn’t help it: she squirmed. She squirmed in her chair under the hawkish gaze of her commanding officer. 

 

“Sir, as I said in my full report-”

 

“I know what the report says.” His eyes cut sideways for only a moment as a notification popped onto this computer. He looked back, dismissing it. She cringed slightly. “I want you to tell me what happened, not what the report says.”

 

Destin picked at her nails futilely. She couldn’t lie to him. Not in person.

 

“I...underestimated the situation. I took matter into my own hands without informing higher authority, and I was not successful for all my brashness.”

 

“I have…” Tapping on his datapad, he pulled up a list, “no less than four ship hangars in need of some repair or cleanup, varying, three hundred stormtroopers off of their patrol shifts for reeducation, _one thousand_ _meters_ of wiring to replace, ranging from the ILT to the air recycler system, five broken maintenance droids, one special forces TIE fighter water damaged beyond repair, and one missing detainee and his ship.”

 

Destin had no choice in looking down, away from his gaze. “I apologize, sir. I accept any judgment you pass upon me.”

 

“Of course you do,” he snapped, and then softened. “Destin, I understand what it is like to be...zealous. To feel you must take responsibility for your own mistake, to right your wrong.”

 

She looked up, mild surprise on her features. Was it possible he knew her carelessness, her Coruscanti-bred pride had been the catalyst to release the prisoner?

 

“Nonetheless,” he leaned back in his chair again, steepling fingers under his chin. “There is a lot of damage, and not a lot of budget. You are deeply intelligent and competent, Destin, and it would be unfortunate to lose you over your first infraction.”

 

He paused. She wisely, at least she thought, did not confirm or deny his statement. His lips quirked upwards for only a moment before he continued. 

 

“That said, there will have to be a halt to the cooling system replacement plan. I am happy with the results thus far, but the budget can no longer allow for it when we must do so many repairs. I expect you to be fully in charge of said repairs. I expect them done by two standard weeks from now.  _ All _ of them.” 

 

Destin balked slightly. That was  _ it? _ The great and feared General Hux, giving her the verbal equivalent of a slap on the wrist and an order to clean up her mess? She must be dreaming. Maybe she would wake up, and none of it happened at all. 

 

The pain in her finger as she anxiously dug out a hangnail said differently. 

 

“Is that understood, Lieutenant Commander?”

 

“Y-yes, I, sir-”

 

“I don’t listen to stuttering. Speak or don’t. Don’t waste my time apologizing, you have little more of it.” One of his slender hands, currently not clad in signature black leather gloves, moved back to the computer on the table to type out some response. He didn’t break eye contact. 

 

“It’s nothing, sir. Thank you for your patience.”  _ And keeping my head on my shoulders _ , she did not say, but thought quite strongly. 

 

She got up from the chair at his desk, and turned to exit the room. His voice caught her with her hand near the exit button.

 

“Destin.”

 

“Yes, sir?” She turned most of the way back to him, and saw him rubbing a hand down his cheek out of the corner of her eye. The General looked regal in that moment, legs crossed and leaned back in his chair, hand dragging down to rest at his strong jawline. She was in awe of him, as she always was on some level. 

 

“I mean what I say. You are an asset to this ship, to me, and to the First Order. Don’t disappoint me again.” 

 

The statement should have come across as a threat, but it didn’t. It came across as a sincere plea, almost, as if he knew something she didn’t. As if he were trying to coax her in the right direction, for someone’s good, not that she would assume whose. Still, it pulled something inside her heart. She smiled, as bright as always. “Of course, sir. I am loyally yours.” The words were awkward to her as soon as they hit the air, but despite his flashed expression of surprise, they felt true enough.

 

“See to it then.” He dismissed, placid again as he waved his hand towards the door.

 

-

 

_ Four Months Later _

 

The report stood bright and crisp on her screen, but she blinked anyways, clearing non-existent wiggles from her eyes. 

 

That is sure what it said, all right. No doubt. 

 

The reading in question was the new quarterly budget, delivered just minutes ago as she sat at her desk, a rare event that seemed to herald a rare stroke of luck.

 

Tucked between the other hundred line items, read:  _ Coolant system replacement  _ and then quite a lot of credits. 

 

She wanted to giggle. Now  _ that _ was unladylike in the extreme. She held it in, but knew the somewhat manic sound was close to the surface, and held her lips tight. 

 

Was it luck? No, it couldn’t have been. General Hux didn’t make decisions without forethought.  _ A lot _ of forethought. If the line existed, it was with full intent. The thought was somehow more dizzying.

 

Her comm beeped, and she touched her ear. “Destin,”

 

“I want a report on my desk by 1700 today on your proposal for the coolant system. Full cost breakdown and timeline.”

 

The automatic cringe at his abrupt and frankly rude delivery was thankfully seen by no one. It was early still, and she had been holed up in her office, peacefully alone, for a couple hours. Admiral Doshir was not a kind man, or a polite one, but he got the job done and was never unfair. He only expected promptness and competence, and Destin had those in spades. And still, he never showed favoritism. A true military man, if she had any thoughts about it.

 

She flicked her eyes over the report pulled up next to the budget plan, her report that had been done for cycles now, of the plan for the cooling system that she had fully prepared herself to tuck away in her files until it rotted into obscurity. The send box had  _ Gen. A. Hux _ in it. 

 

“Of...course, sir.” They never had told the Admiral that he was second to receive her reports on the project. It would have been an insult. If the General was bothered by receiving the report twice, he had never mentioned it.

 

“Very good.” He replied, and ended the connection.

  
Skyler sighed audibly, and slowly placed her forehead on the desk. Her bangs protected her forehead from the cold metal. Her next sigh fogged up the smooth, reflective surface. Without looking, she inched her hand up to the screen and pressed Send.


End file.
